


Upside Down ~~ A Set It Off FanFiction

by MadSalty017



Series: Upside Down [1]
Category: Set It Off (Band)
Genre: Down, F/M, Fanfiction, Gen, IT - Freeform, Midnight, Romance, Set - Freeform, killer, killer in the mirror, set it off, upside, upside down - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-04
Updated: 2021-02-08
Packaged: 2021-03-06 08:06:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 6,120
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25700020
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MadSalty017/pseuds/MadSalty017
Summary: Sam had been around since Set It Off started, acting as resident fanboy magnet and Maxx's girlfriend. She'd been the band's first fan, and once it had been time for Austin to take his leave, their first female member. Set It Off had been her life, pushing her past her limits. Of course, there had been plenty of boys that rolled through her life, each boy worst than the last. After one particularly impactful concert, Sam realizes that the men in her life weren't actually all that great. Her life comes spiraling down, but when her best friend comes to help her, Sam realizes she may actually like him. Is it worth flipping her world upside down?
Relationships: Zach Dewall/OC
Series: Upside Down [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1863838
Kudos: 3





	1. The Basics >> Cast and Playlist

Nina Dobrev >> Samantha Moore  
 _Bass, Backing Vocals, Piano, Keyboards, Guitar_

Zach Dewall >> Himself  
 _Guitar, Bass, Backing Vocals_

Cody Carson >> Himself  
 _Lead Vocals, Keyboards, Piano, Guitar, Clarinet, Alto Saxophone_

Maxx Danzinger >> Himself  
 _Drums_

Dan Clermont >> Himself  
 _Guitar, Keyboards, Piano, Backing Vocals_

Oakley the Service Dog >> Killian  
 _S_ _am's Support Animal_

\----

<< _PLAYLIST_ >>

I Don't Know Why  
 _I_ _magine Dragons_

So Predictable  
 _Set It Off_

Killer in the Mirror  
 _Set It Off_

Popstar  
 _N_ _ew Hollow_

Neon Gravestones  
 _T_ _wenty One Pilots_

_...and more on the official_ **_Dancing With The Devil Playlist_ ** _on Spotify_


	2. Index + Encyclopedia

**This will be updated as chapters come out, so be on the lookout for new terms and chapter names!**

**Keep in mind that this is part regular book, part social media book.**

╓═══════☆═══════╖

_INDEX_

╙═══════☆═══════╜

 _i_ \- _The Basics_  
 _ii- Index and Encyclopedia_

1- Thoughts That Breathe  
i. instagram  
2- ???  
3- ???  
4- ???  
5- ???  
6- ???  
7- ???  
8- ???  
9- ???  
10- ???  
11- ???  
12- ???  
13- ???  
14- ???  
15- ???  
16- ???  
17- ???  
18- ???  
19- ???  
20- ???  
21- ???  
22- ???  
23- ???  
24- ???  
25- ???  
26- ???  
27- ???  
28- ???  
29- ???  
30- ???  
31- ???  
32- ???  
33- ???  
34- ???  
35- ???  
36- ???  
37- ???  
38- ???  
39- ???  
40- ???

╓═══════☆═══════╖

_ENCYCLOPEDIA_

╙═══════☆═══════╜

 _ **Characters**_  
 **Cody Carson-** Main Character, 28. Vocals for Set It Off. Played by _Himself_  
 **Dan Clermont-** Main Character, 28. Guitarist for Set It Off. Played by _Himself  
_ **Killian Moore-** Not-Quite Main Character, 11. Service Dog of Samantha's. Played by _Oakley the Service Pup_  
 **Maxx Danzinger-** Main Character, 27. Drummer for Set It Off. Played by _Himself_  
 **Samantha Moore-** Main Character, 27. Bass player for Set It Off. Played by _Nina Dobrev  
_ **Zach Dewall-** Main Character, 27. Guitar player for Set It Off. Played by _Himself_

 ** _Encyclopedia  
_** **Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)-** a disorder characterized by excessive or unrealistic anxiety about two or more aspects of life (work, social relationships, financial matters, etc.), often accompanied by symptoms such as palpitations, shortness of breath, or dizziness.  
 **Panic Disorder-** a type of anxiety disorder. It causes panic attacks, which are sudden feelings of terror when there is no real danger, and also comes with physical symptoms.  
 **Service Dog-** any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability.

 _ **Killian's Commands/Tricks**_  
 **Arcesse-** Latin for fetch. Killian goes and grabs Sam's medication  
 **Bonus-** Latin for good. Used to praise Killian  
 **Claude-** Latin for cover. Killian presses against the front of Sam's legs to cover her from those in front of her  
 _ **Coi** \- _Latin for come together. Killian comes to Sam and sits and heels  
 _Consurge-_ Latin for rise. Killian stands up  
 **Deep Pressure Therapy (DPT)-** a tactile input in any form of pressure exerted equally across the body. Used to ground Sam  
 **Heel-** Killian goes to Sam's left side and looks forward. Ideal for walking, so that he may go into any other position quickly  
 **Interfere-** Killian interferes with Sam's panic/anxiety attack by doing whatever he can to get her to hug/pet him. This can include diving under her legs, licking her face, stopping her from scratching herself, removing items in her hands, and more  
 _ **Remane** \- _Latin for stay behind. Killian remains where he's at in the position he's in (either sit, stand, or lay) until told otherwise  
 **Saepi-** Latin for block. Killian presses up against the back of Sam's legs to block her from those behind her  
 _ **Sede** \- _Latin for sit. Killian sits  
 _ **Solve** \- _Latin for release/free. Killian temporarily released from his duties  
 _ **Specta** \- _Latin for watch. Killian looks Sam in the eye, used to pull him away from distractions  
 _ **Sterne** \- _Latin for lay out. Killian lays down

**_A Warning  
_** I do not currently have a service dog, but I've done all the research I can. I've looked on ADA websites, training websites, and subscribed to countless service dog owners and trainers (including Amber Aquart, real-life owner of Oakley the Service Dog). If you see something that may be incorrect, please don't hesitate to reach out to me! I would love the constructive criticism, and I want to make sure the story is as accurate as possible!


	3. 1- Thoughts That Breathe

" _Lincoln, Nebraska!_ " A cheer resounded from the audience, causing the man behind the microphone to laugh, " _Are you fucking ready?_ "

The crowd screamed again. I bounced on my feet, behind Zach. Maxx went on first, ducking behind his drums and automatically getting into place. Dan, Zach, and I were all next, falling easily into our places as we began to play our instruments. I stood almost in the center of the stage, a little closer to Zach than to Dan. Our cue to play came on, and I bopped my head a little bit, strumming the cords of my bass.

Cody appeared behind us, weaving between the drums and then between me and Dan. "How we feeling tonight?"

The crowd's screams would have deafened me if it weren't for the fact my ears were plugged.

"We are Set! It! Off!" Each word of our band's name got a strum, each harder than the last.

An easy slide into Uncontainable. I leaned into the microphone, harmonizing with Dan's backing vocals as Cody sang his verse. Zach stood in the middle, behind Cody. Cody didn't block him, though- Zach's bobbing and weaving around back there made sure of it.

I almost felt bad for Cody. He must have been touched at least ten times just during Uncontainable. This crowd insisted on jumping, and as I watched, the containment fencing rocked back and forth.

My chest pounded, and I tried to focus on just playing the instrument. I nudged Zach, and he easily slid into my place. His vocals weren't in the same range, but they could cover.

Why did my anxiety spike? My fingers bounced over the strings, trying desperately to make it look like I was okay.

The crowd could have mistaken our slide into Wolf in Sheep's Clothing as a band-wide mistake. We had done this before though. The motions came easy, and I bounced in order to try and calm down.

It seemed to be working. Even though Wolf in Sheep's Clothing was Set It Off's top song, the crowd calmed down just a little bit. From behind Cody, I couldn't see the rocking of the fence.

Cody approached me, violently peeling his jacket off.

"Sam, you good?" Cody yelled over the music.

"Yeah! If it gets too bad I'll let you know!" I replied, pushing past him to start clapping to the beat with Zach. We hopped onto the raised platform, my bass hitting my back. My hands stung a little bit as I hopped off a second later, getting behind Cody again.

I began to play the main rift underneath Dan and Zach's guitars. The familiarity of the motions comforted me, seemingly giving me permission to let loose a little.

The chorus felt like it ended too quickly. Nevertheless, I hopped back up and continued clapping, cheering with the crowd. This time, I was up with Cody, and I screamed into his microphone with him.

My throat ached, but boy was I having a hell of a time.

The rest of the night became uneventful. The routine had been engrained into my mind. Play the show, run to the trailer (parked far enough away that Killian didn't get hurt), get refreshed, do some DPT with Killian in bed while the boys get refreshed, then bring Killian to the Meet-And-Greet.

The crowd that night didn't even fill half the room- we hadn't sold out the VIP Packs at this show.

"Killian, _claude_ ," I demanded softly. Killian moved in front of me, pressing against my legs. I didn't even have to bend down to pat his head. Killian licked my hand, pressing his head into my palm.

" _Bonus,_ Killian," I whispered.

Cody and Zach stood on either side of me, providing comfort and safety. As the first fan came up, I let myself dissociate a little. Just the usual high-five, say hi, the occasional "No, you can't pet him", take a picture, sign something, and then the next fan comes along.

Around 3/4ths of the way through, one boy came up with his mother. Upon seeing Killian, she immediately began to coo over him.

"Ma'am, I'm sorry, but he's working right now. Please don't interact with him," I explained.

"A dog? Working? Oh you must be working so hard aren't you?" She asked the dog.

"Ma'am-"

She leaned down and began to pet Killian. Killian leaned further into her hand.

I sucked in a breath, "Killian, _saepi_." He immediately moved behind me.

The lady straightened up quickly, "I was _playing_ with him!"

"And he's working. She said leave him alone, so you need to leave him alone," Zach spoke up.

The woman groaned, walking off to the side.

The boy came up sheepishly, "Sorry about that. I warned her before the show-."

I smiled, "It's okay, you tried your best. I appreciate it. What's your name?"

"My name is Henry," He said.

"Well, it's nice to meet you Henry. Got anything I need to sign?" I asked, grinning.

"Just this," Henry said, slowly pulling out a copy of Upside Down.

I laughed, "I've heard this is a good album."

"Yeah, I really like the bass," Henry replied, laughing.

I laughed, signing the cover and passing it to Cody. "Yeah, I've heard it's good!"

The night wrapped quickly. By the time we got back to the trailer, I could barely keep my eyes open. Killian led me to my bed, hopping up next to me and laying his head on my stomach. We barely fit into the bunk, but that meant more of him for DPT.

I heard the boys messing around in the cabin area. I sighed a little, running my hand through Killian's fur. He let out a breath, which fanned over my chest.

My curtain moved to the side a bit, revealing Zach. "You okay, Sam?"

"Mhm," I mumbled. I could feel how hard my heart was pounding.

"We're gonna sleep here for the night then start driving in the morning," Zach explained.

I nodded, "Alrighty." I hadn't spoken above a whisper, but Zach heard me.

"Get some rest, Sam," Zach said. "Good night, Killian." Zach reached in and scratched Killian's head, much to the dog's delight.

I laughed, "Good night, Zach."

He smiled and shut the curtain. I flipped over onto my side, allowing Killian to lay on something other than my stomach. I pulled my laptop out of the side pocket of my bunk, then I opened it and began to watch some TV.

"You want to do _what now?_ "

My body lounged on my couch, and Cody sat in front of me.

"I want to move the band to LA. I haven't asked the guys yet, but I figured I would come to you first," Cody explained. "I don't want you to be too startled by it."

"But why?" I asked. Killian's head rested itself on my knee, stopping the bouncing that shook my body.

"There's a lot of good producers and studios out there, plus there's a lot of other bands out there we can collaborate with," Cody leaned forward in his seat. His hands wrung together, rubbing gently over themselves.

I looked down at Killian, nodding slowly. I couldn't doubt that my heart beat hard on my chest, or that my hands shook.

"If you don't want to go, you don't have to. But if you do, the guys and I will be there for you every step of the way," Cody said.

I nodded again. My eyes trained on the floor, but as I looked, I could feel them focusing and unfocusing on each piece of grain. Nausea clouded my throat, so I looked away.

"Sam, do you wanna head to dinner now? I'm gonna tell the boys when we get there," Cody offered.

"Let me get dressed and take my meds," I mumbled.

Cody nodded, "Take your time."

I stood, gently pushing Killian off my leg. He trotted behind me, making sure to occasionally boop my calf as I changed. I made sure to grab his boots and harness, walking with the older dog as I ran over my mental checklist of what I needed for dinner. My purse was on my coat hanger by the door, my shoes were on the floor-.

"Ah shit," I mumbled. "Killian, _arcesse_." Killian trotted off, going to grab my medication. Cody stood in front of my fridge, pouring a glass of water.

"You got comfortable quick," I teased.

Cody laughed a little, "It's for you, weirdo." He turned around and handed me the small glass of water.

I laughed a little, grabbing the cup. Killian walked back into the room, pill bottle in his mouth.

"Alright, let's go."


	4. i. instagram

Liked by **maxxsio** and **15,209** others

 **samsio** Excited to finally go and visit my family for the first time in a while. I'm sure they're all excited to be seen by the internet again.

_View all 419 comments_

**maxxsio** you'd better give killian some love for me  
⌞ **samsio** duh!

February 17


	5. Good Luck With That

Music played quietly in the background as I continued to drive down I-95. Killian had his head out the window, tongue lolling out as wind blew through his fur. Killian didn't have any duties this weekend while we celebrated with my mom.

I finally turned off the highway, watching as Killian yipped happily at another dog in a car next to mine. I waved to the owner before turning onto Fiske Boulevard. As buildings passed by, I couldn't help but remember some of my late teen years (which, admittedly, hadn't been that long ago). Just after we passed by my old school, we drove onto the street where my parents lived.

Their house stood out a bit from the others on the street, only because they could afford to have someone come clean it. But so much had changed since I had moved out with Maxx seven years ago.

I parked my car and stepped out, letting Killian hop out and accompany me to the door. I knocked, my heart slamming against my chest despite growing up here for a while.

Mom opened the door and gasped, "Sam!" She tackled me in a hug and I laughed, wrapping my arms around her.

"Hi, momma," I said, squeezing her a bit before letting go.

She held my arms, checking over me, "How was the drive? Does Dad need to help you grab your bags? I was just about to start making dinner-."

"It's okay, mom," I looked down the street and saw my brother's car approaching as well. "You told me that you had some new plants in the kitchen?"

"Oh, yes! Let me show you!" Mom gently took my hand and led me in, talking all about how her carnations were finally beginning to root. She had just pointed out her prized yellow carnation when another knock resounded on the door.

"That must be the package I ordered!" Mom said, walking to the door.

I smiled, looking over towards my Dad. He smiled at me, approaching for a hug. I wrapped my arms around him, "Hi, Dad."

"Andrew! Oh my goodness!" Mom said from the doorway. I laughed, watching as my brother walked into the door with his wife and children in tow. I smiled at him.

"Aunty Sam!" Elizabeth and Ethan shouted, running forward.

I grinned, "Hey guys!" They crashed into me, nearly knocking me over.

They got preoccupied less than a second later when Killian alerted me he needed to go out. I let the kids take him, watching as they ran out back with him.

I felt arms wrap around my waist, lifting me up. I yelped, laughing a little as Andrew spun me around. As soon as my feet touched the ground I turned and hugged my brother.

"What up dweeb?" I asked, pulling away.

"I thought you weren't going to make it?" Andrew said as I hugged Chelsea.

"Had a last-minute opening," I said, grinning.

"I don't think we have enough to feed everyone," Mom said, walking out of the kitchen. "I'll run to the grocery store really quick."

"No, it's alright. Dad and I can go, then you can hang with your girls and the kiddos," Andrew volunteered.

"But-."

"Mom, it's your birthday weekend. Relax. We've got this," Andrew said, picking up his keys.

"Oh, alright," Mom grumbled, a grin gracing her features. I smiled a little, sitting on one of the couches. Chelsea sat next to me, and we began talking quietly as Dad and Andrew left.

I pulled out my phone to text the band chat, letting them know I made it. I had barely finished shoving my phone back in my pocket when Mom and Chelsea came out with wine glasses.

"Thank you," I smiled at Chelsea as she handed me my glass. Mom spoke to her daughter-in-law as I adjusted to being back in the house. The simply decorated living room (which had a few stains here and there from when Andrew and I had spilled things in various spots), the modern kitchen, the not-quite darkened hallway. I pulled my legs underneath me as I listened to Mom and Chelsea talk.

I sighed heavily, watching as Killian moved around the backyard. Mosquitos came and bit at my skin, but I didn't have the energy to swat them away. My mind churned over everything the band had been discussing. I took a swig of the beer Dad handed me a while ago, feeling it wash down my throat.

I didn't even register the back door sliding open before I realized Andrew was sitting next to me. Without a word, I simply leaned on his shoulder.

"You okay?" Andrew asked.

I kept quiet, trying to find the words. My shoulder brushed against Andrew's arm as I shrugged.

"Wanna talk about it?" He looked at me.

I took a deep breath, watching as Killian attempted to chase a squirrel up a tree, "Cody wants the band to move to LA to record the new album."

Andrew was silent, "How does that make you feel?"

I sat up, "I'm terrified."

Andrew nodded, "That's understandable. Do you know when they want you guys to move?"

"Before May," I said.

"You should have plenty of time to get things dealt with then, right?"

I shrugged, "I have no idea. I have no idea how to approach any of this."

Andrew took a swig of his beer before speaking, "Well, you have all your bandmates. You've got me, and Mom, and Dad. We've all moved out of states before. We can help you out."

I smiled a little bit as Killian approached, laying his head on my knee. I ran a hand through his fur as I thought. Processing stuff is hard when you have alcohol.

"I'll help you start in the morning, okay? After we've all gotten some rest and slept the alcohol off," Andrew offered.

I snorted a little, "That sounds good."

"Alright. Let's get you back inside," Andrew stood and offered me his hand. I gratefully took it, standing with him. When we got back inside, the kids were talking all about how they had gone to Disney yesterday.


	6. Not A Minute To Waste

My leg bounced as I looked over the sheet of paper. Music notes dotted the bars, connecting to a track that would- hopefully- be a darker sound.

"So, we're going back to that darker stuff?" I asked, looking up at Cody.

He nodded, "Yeah. We're going to go to lunch later and discuss it further, but right now we're focusing on just your stuff since you actually showed up on time."

I laughed, "Right, right." I picked up my bass, stepping into the studio. Killian plopped right in and sat patiently as I began connecting things to my bass. As soon as I finished, Killian came and laid across my feet.

I strapped my headphones on, watching as Cody sat in the chair and pulled his own headphones on. I smiled as he gave the thumbs up.

The bass hadn't been properly tuned since the last show. I took a few minutes and tuned it, watching as Cody kept giving thumbs-ups. I didn't really need them, but I appreciated them nonetheless. 

I began to quietly play the warm-ups, then took a close look at the sheet. A few G's, D's, and a lot of A's scattered across the paper. I nodded for Cody to start the metronome and then began to play.

**~~~~~~~~**

"Maxx! I can't go in there," I laughed, pushing against Maxx.

"Babe, you know how to play bass and we need a new bass player. Why not have you try out?" Maxx asked. "You've already learned how to play Wolf, might as well show off to everyone else."

Killian circled around my legs, looking up at me like he expected me to go in.

I gulped. "I- I don't know Maxx..."

Maxx smiled and kissed my cheek, "I can sit in with you. Do you want to do that?"

I nodded, finally stepping into the studio. I picked up the bass that Cody left in there, wrapping it around myself. Maxx sat in front of me, putting on his own headphones. Killian laid across my feet, letting me breathe as I played.

By the end of the week, I was Set It Off's newest member.

**~~~~~~~~**

As I finished the song, Cody pulled his headphones off. "That was amazing!"

I took the bass off, setting it on the stand. "Cody, are we really going to go that dark again?"

Cody looked up, "That's been the plan, but we're going to discuss it at lunch."

I nodded, pulling the headphones off. Maybe this would be a good thing? Killian followed me as I left the studio, keeping close to my side. Cody led us outside. 

"The song was good though," I said as I climbed into the car.

"Yeah?" 

"Yeah. There's a couple of things I'll nag about later but for now, you're good," I laughed.

Cody laughed as well, "That's better than all nagging."

As soon as we got to the restaurant, Cody and I climbed out and walked in. I went to sit in our usual spot as Cody walked up to the counter. Killian climbed in underneath the table, resting in front of my feet. Cody and I had just gotten our food by the time the rest of the band showed up.


	7. Introduction to Outselling A Salesman

Dan had the guitar on his leg as we sat and discussed.

"Do you think we need to move away from the diamond?" I asked quietly.

Cody looked over, "What makes you say that?"

Everyone's gaze turned to me, and I could feel my face heat up, "I mean, we discussed yesterday that we didn't want to be like Upside Down anymore. Maybe we should move away from the diamond?"

Zach nodded, "But what would we move to?"

I let out a sigh of relief as everyone took the idea and ran with it. Back in the beginning, they would just argue and scream at each other whenever they disagreed with each other. Always sent me into panic attacks- part of the reason why they got better about it I think. 

Killian nuzzled against my knee, making me look down at him. I took a deep breath, trying to focus on the conversation happening at the moment.

"I don't think we should go with a star," Maxx said.

"Why not?" Dan looked at Maxx, foot bouncing the guitar in his lap.

"Too many points. If we wanna do a cool morphing thing like we discussed, the extra point will end up looking weird in the transition. We should stick with four points," Maxx explained.

Cameron (a producer we brought on a while back) nodded, "That would work. You guys stick to a four-point shape and it'll be easy to transition it in the video."

We all thought for a while, discussing different shapes. Squares, trapezoids, rhombus, and rectangle were all thrown out there.

"Wait, Cody," Zach spoke up, "We've got a song that talks about hourglasses?"

Cody thought for a moment, "Yeah, yeah we do." He wrote something down on the sheet we had.

"Why don't we consider an hourglass?" Zach sat up a little, "Have a bunch of songs talking about time, right?"

Maxx nodded, "It could work in transitions."

Cody grinned. "We can discuss it closer to Emo Nite. Speaking of," He pushed the notepad aside and pulled his phone out and began to read something, " _Cody Carson, as the lead singer of the band Set It Off, we would like to invite you and the other members of Set It Off to be DJ's at Emo Nite LA and the Vans Warped Tour kick-off. Should you accept, you will also be able to appear at whatever stops of the final Vans Warped Tour._ "

"Yes, oh my god," I said without hesitation. When we were younger, in my pre-band days, we would all go together to the Orlando stop. If we could play the final tour, it would be _amazing!_

"Alright, so that's two yes's. What about you guys?" Cody looked at the other members of the band.

The room filled with nods of agreement, again with no hesitation. I couldn't help the grin that spread across my face. Killian's tail wagged, and he bounced a little to turn to face me. I rubbed a hand through his fur, kissing his forehead. I looked up to see Zach staring at me. I grinned at him, and he smiled right back.

"Alright, so I'll let him know. That'll be June 5, can everyone make it that night?" Cody looked up from his phone.

Dan hissed a little, "Sydney and I have dinner that night for my birthday since I'll be here the day of."

Cody nodded, "Are you okay with missing out on it? Or moving your dinner?"

"I'll talk to Sydney. She planned for us to do an Escape Room that night I think," Dan pulled out his phone, arms resting on the guitar.

"But everyone else is okay?" Cody looked around the rest of the circle.

"I'm good," Zach said, looking at his phone.

"I'll be there," Maxx smiled.

"And Sam?" Cody looked at me, "Are you and Killian gonna be there?"

"As long as we've got a safe space for Killian I'll be there," I grinned.

Cody typed on his phone, "I think we're gonna have a room to ourselves, I'll ask if we can get it soundproofed. You think that'll be okay?"

"Yeah, should be great," I rubbed Killian's ears, watching his tail wag. 

"Alright, I'll let them know. Anything else we need to discuss Cameron?" Cody looked at our producer.

"LA." Cameron stared at Cody.

"LA?" Cody's head tilted a little.

Cameron's eyebrows raised, and Cody's mouth opened into a little 'o'.

"What about LA?" Dan asked, looking at Cody.

"So, we were talking about moving the band to Los Angeles, because of all the opportunities for the band in terms of shows, producers, and places to record," Cody explained, putting his phone down.

Zach looked over at me, "Sam you are oddly calm."

"He told me about this a while ago so that I'd be prepared," I explained, leg bouncing anyway. Killian ducked under one leg and rested his head on the other, stopping my legs. I pushed my fingers through his fur again.

"And what's your stance?" Maxx asked.

"I..." I sighed, trying to think, "If I have a lot of help then I can move."

Zach nodded, "I'll have to talk to Katie, but then I'm in."

"I'll have to talk to Sydney," Dan said, typing on his phone.

"I think I'm in. I'll have to think about it. When do we need to move?" Maxx asked, tapping his legs.

"Do you think we could at least be over there in one house by Emo Nite? Like the sleepovers we used to have," I said with a smile.

"That would be awesome," Cody said with a grin. "I'm closest to being able to move out since I needed to move soon anyway. I can start looking soon."

I nodded. _We're going to be okay._


	8. ii. Twitter

**Samantha Moore** ☑️ @ samsio • 45 min  
#SIOLP4 I'm so excited for this one!! Big things coming y'all!! And I promise I was there lmao 📸: @ maxxsio

💬 3.8k 🔁 4.9k ♥️ 15.8k

 **Zach Dewall** ☑️@ zachsio   
I'm pumped too!! 💪🏻💪🏻

 **McSalttt** @ mcsaltsss  
New album?? Since when????


	9. Turn Down For What

I watched as Cody and Maxx bounced around, singing some song they made up as they went. Zach stood off to the side, on the phone with Katie. And me? Well, I rested on the little couch that Matty managed to get for me. Killian laid on my chest, breath fanning across my neck. 

Zach hung up and glanced at the two weirdos. I watched as his gaze shifted from them to me. I couldn't help but smile, running a hand through Killian's fur.

"You going to be okay out there?" He asked quietly.

I nodded, "Just trying to chill." 

The crowd outside roared- did we really need to do this kickoff?

_It's the last Warped Tour. You should be honored._

I gulped, running my hand through Killian's fur. I needed to focus on the here and now, not the possible. I could hear music playing- were they really playing Life Afraid?

I hummed along, bouncing my foot. Zach looked at his phone, "Guys, aren't we due to be at stage in a minute?"

"What time is it?" Cody asked, turning to Zach. His chest heaved, making me giggle. Cody looked over accusingly as I sat up, "What are _you_ laughing about?"

"You and Maxx being absolute goofs," I said, grabbing the new muffs off the table. These muffs should be able to help Killian's ears not implode when we get on stage. Doggy ear muffs. My mind played an image of Killian being absolutely hurt when we got there.

"Killian, _coi._ " He sat, looking up at me. I couldn't help but smile, wrapping the muffs around him. They reminded me of the headphones my dad used to wear when he went to the shooting range. I made sure his ears got all tucked into the muffs, then stood. For a brief moment, I worried that he couldn't hear me. Then I remembered that we had silent commands- duh.

Killian followed us out towards the stage. A woman stood off to the side of the stairs, smiling at me. She had on a vest on labeled 'SD handler'. She approached me, holding her hand out. I couldn't help but smile when Killian automatically moved to cover me.

"Hey! I'm Lacey, you must be Sam right?" The blonde smiled at me.

I nodded, "Yup."

"So, we have a little bed for Killian to hang out on. I believe Scott said that you and Zach are going to be controlling the music for a bit, do you want Killian up on stage then?" Lacey asked. 

"That would be amazing," I laughed nervously. I leaned down a little and snapped once, pointing to the little bed laid out on the floor. Killian immediately laid down, curling up almost like I thought a cat would. I unstrapped the treat bag from my waist, handing it to Lacey.

"Let me know if he ends up getting hurt," I mumbled, staring at Killian.

"Of course," Lacey pat my arm gently. "Now, go get 'em! You got this!"

As if on cue, someone wrapped an arm around me and led me to the stairs as the MC announced us. I looked to see who it was- Zach stood there with a smile.

"C'mon!" He shouted over the cheering of the crowd. I nodded, bouncing a little and charging up the stairs after Maxx.

"What's up LA!" Cody shouted into the microphone in his hand. I raised my arms, watching the crowd cheer. 

"Let's get the night started with some of our music! Cuz you all know we're a little selfish!" Cody shouted, scrolling through the laptop. 

The crowd laughed, chattering as Cody scrolled. 

"A-ha!" Cody shouted, pressing something. Something New played, making me smile. I danced around a little listening as the crowd sparsely sang along.

_They hate us._

_They aren't here to listen to us perform, you idiot._

With that thought process seemingly quelled, I watched Cody and Maxx pick up the dancing they had been doing in the dressing room. I laughed, pausing in my dancing to catch my breath.

Zach leaned in for a brief moment, nearly drowning out the crowd. "Are you okay?"

I looked up at him, grin still on my face, "Yeah, I'm great!"

We both continued like that for what felt like hours. The crowd stayed energized the entire time though, jumping and singing loudly with us. At one point, Cody even threw an impromptu concert featuring just himself (and the rest of us as dancers). Eventually though, Maxx and Cody took a few minutes to get themselves water, leaving me and Zach on stage by ourselves. 

As Cody and Maxx walked off stage, I whistled for Killian. The crowd stilled, watching me intently. When Killian didn't run up, I remembered that he had the muffs on. I leaned into the mic, grin covering my shame, "One moment please!"

The crowd laughed as I rushed to the side of the stage. Lacey stood there, Killian heeling next to her. She tossed me my pack, letting me wrap it around my waist before letting go of Killian's leash. I gently pat my thighs.

Killian rushed forward, bounding up the stairs. I grinned, grabbing onto his lead and bringing him onto the stage with me. As we walked up on stage, I noticed something in his gait.

He was _trembling._

I looked down to see his eyes darting over the crowd, tail tucked between his legs. I reached into his pouch and pulled out a treat, giving it to him as we approached Zach.

I hadn't seen Killian act like this since we first started training. I had to give him treats every couple of minutes while he was working to get him to calm down. 

Looking up, I saw Zach raising an eyebrow. I shrugged, trying to communicate that Killian didn't want to be there. Zach nodded and leaned into the microphone. "Since Cody and Maxx had to go take a break-," He interrupted himself and made a gagging noise, making the crowd laugh, "Killian is here to help us DJ for a few minutes!"

The crowd cheered, and I could basically feel Killian collapse against my leg. I knelt, running my hands through his fur. My face leveled with his, and before I could even kiss his nose he dug his head into my hands. 

"C'mon, bud," I pulled a treat out, "I'll give you more in a few minutes, okay?" He wouldn't stop shaking though. 

I looked up at Zach, standing. "I'm just gonna take him back for now."

Zach nodded, telling the crowd what happened. I brought Killian to my side, leading him off stage and waving to the crowd as we approached the stairs. As soon as Killian and I reached the stairs, he jumped off the edge.

His shout of pain was the only thing I heard for a brief moment. I rushed down the stairs, watching as Cody and Maxx ran towards me. 

"Killian!" I dropped to the floor next to him. The MC rushed behind us, going to help Zach distract the crowd. Cody and Maxx dropped next to me, and Lacey appeared behind them.

I looked over Killian, trying to figure out where he was hurt. I gently moved each limb, watching his reaction. He whined briefly when I moved his back right paw, so I took a closer look at it.

"How old is he?" Lacey asked, moving to the other side of Cody.

"12," I replied, continuing to search over his leg.

"Killian looks like he's okay, maybe he's just getting old?" Lacey offered. "Let's try and have him walk."

I nodded, not moving. Maxx gently wrapped an arm around my shoulders, lifting me up. I let him bring me a few feet away. I turned after a moment, calling Killian.

It took him a moment, but Killian stood and walked to me. I barely noticed the limp he had- it didn't even look like anything had happened. 

Lacey was right though. Killian was pretty old, and he probably just put a little too much pressure on his leg. He would be fine for now. But... 

I sighed. I needed to reach out to the company I got Killian from to see if I could get another dog soon, huh?


End file.
